Molecular Signalling

Code:

EBE0126

Acronym:

SM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Molecular Biotechnology

Instance: 2012/2013 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Bioengineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIB	20	Syllabus	3	-	5	42	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This course unit aims to familiarise students with the molecular mechanisms used by cells to receive, process, amplify and integrate different signals. It will be discussed the general mechanisms, through which information is transmitted by proteins and signal transduction cascades. Some important signalization procedures will be integrated and applied to specific biological problems.

Learning outcomes and competences

Students should be capable of analysing, presenting and discussing scientific articles on themes related to the content of this course unit.

Working method

Presencial

Program

General mechanism of molecular signalling: post-translational modifications, interaction between proteins, complex formation, alterations in the subcellular localization, conformation and enzymatic activity. Signal cascades: membrane receptors and cytosols; G and Ras proteins; cyclic nucleotides; Protein kinases and phosphatases; Calcium mobilization; Lipid second messenger Specific pathways: Metabolic response, immune signalling, stress response, cell death, cancer

Mandatory literature

Thomas M. Devlin; Textbook of Biochemistry With Clinical Correlations, Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-471-67808-3
Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter; Molecular Biology of the Cell, Garland Science. ISBN: 978-0-8153-4105-5

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical: oral presentation of the program and application of strategies of active and cooperative learning.

Analysis and discussion of scientific articles.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	53,50	0,00
Presentation of seminar	Prova oral	0,50	25,00
Written evaluation (tests or exam)	Exame	2,00	75,00
	Total:	-	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
Preparation for exam	Estudo autónomo	67
Attendance	Frequência das aulas	56
Preparation of seminar	Trabalho de campo	12
	Total:	135,00

Eligibility for exams

According to the rules of the University of Porto.

Presentation of requested seminars.

Mean of the 2 tests > 9.5 (out of 20), with minimal grade of 7 in each test

or
Written exam > 9.5 (out of 20).

Calculation formula of final grade

Seminars (25%) + mean of two tests (75%)

or

Seminars (25%) + final exam (75%)

Examinations or Special Assignments

Presentation of seminars on themes related to the program.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students with a special status will have a chance to attend a final exam.

Classification improvement

After the completion of the course unit, students can improve their grades. However, they can only improve the grade of the final exam and not the other components (continuous assessment).